By Field Level Media
Sep 20 (Field Level Media) – Kenny Minchey threw a pair of touchdown passes and CJ Baxter ran for two more as Kentucky scored a major upset with a 31-21 Southeastern Conference victory against No. 9 Texas A&M on Saturday at College Station, Texas.
Kentucky (2-1, 1-1 SEC) beat Texas A&M (2-1, 0-1) for the first time since Oct. 4, 1952, though the teams have met just four times.
Texas A&M suffered its first regular-season home loss since Nov. 2, 2024 against South Carolina. The Aggies also lost to Miami at home in the first round of the College Football Playoff last season.
Minchey completed 14 of 18 passes for 252 yards and connected on his first nine passes in the second half for 142 yards.
Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed ran for 80 yards and a touchdown and completed 26 of 49 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown. But Kentucky’s defense, under the direction of former Texas A&M defensive coordinator Jay Bateman, intercepted Reed twice.
No. 1 Texas 30, UTSA 6
Arch Manning threw two first-half touchdown passes to Cam Coleman and Gianni Spetic hit three field goals as the Longhorns sleepwalked through a victory over the Roadrunners in Austin, Texas, to conclude a three-game, season- opening homestand.
Texas (3-0) but sputtered throughout, looking little like the team that roared back in the fourth quarter to beat then-No. 1 Ohio State on Sept. 12 to ascend to the top of the Associated Press rankings. Manning finished 16 of 32 for 161 yards and ran for 50 more.
The Longhorns defense was the difference as UTSA (2-1) managed just 143 yards. Texas finished with more rushing yards (228) than the Roadrunners’ total output. Owen McCown passed for 70 yards for UTSA, which was flagged for 12 penalties for 119 yards.
No. 2 Georgia 45, Arkansas 17
Chauncey Bowens rushed for a career-high three touchdowns and the Bulldogs held the Razorbacks to 17 rushing yards in a win in Fayetteville, Ark.
Gunner Stockton completed 10 of 13 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown and rushed for a team-high 97 yards for Georgia (3-0, 1-0 SEC), which improved to 11-0 in SEC road openers under head coach Kirby Smart. Nate Frazier rushed 14 times for 75 yards and a touchdown and Craig Dandridge Jr. had a 61-yard touchdown reception.
KJ Jackson threw for 212 yards and a touchdown for Arkansas (1-2, 0-1), which dropped its 12th straight conference game.
No. 3 Notre Dame 27, Michigan State 10
Micah Gilbert had eight catches for 170 yards and the Fighting Irish pulled away from the Spartans, who failed to score in the second half in South Bend, Ind.
CJ Carr completed 18 of 24 passes for 234 yards and scored a touchdown on the ground for Notre Dame (3-0). Nolan James Jr. had 26 carries for 121 yards and a score. The Fighting Irish outgained the Spartans 395-167, holding the visitors to only 44 rushing yards.
Alessio Milivojevic completed nine of 17 passes for 123 yards and tossed two interceptions for Michigan State (2-1). Reserve quarterback Cam Fancher rushed for the Spartans’ lone touchdown.
No. 4 Indiana 38, Western Kentucky 0
Josh Hoover threw for two touchdowns and Lee Beebe Jr. rushed for two as the Hoosiers pulled away for a nonconference win over the Hilltoppers in Bloomington, Ind.
Hoover hit 18 of 24 passes for 273 yards, while Turbo Richard rushed for 149 yards and a score as Indiana (3-0) extended its winning streak to 19 games. The defense posted its second consecutive shutout while limiting Western Kentucky (0-3) to 186 yards.
Florida State transfer Brock Glenn got his first start at quarterback for the Hilltoppers and completed 17 of 32 passes for 120 yards. He also rushed 11 times for a team-high 30 yards.
No. 6 Ohio State 59, Kent State 3
The Buckeyes took out their frustrations on the Golden Flashes after a stunning defeat last week to Texas, as Julian Sayin passed for 241 yards and two touchdowns and receiver Jeremiah Smith had a record-setting day in Columbus, Ohio.
Ohio State (2-1) rebounded from squandering a 20-point fourth-quarter lead during a 24-23 loss at now-No. 1 Texas last Saturday. Smith made five catches for 85, all in the first half, and set the Buckeyes’ career receiving yards record. The junior entered needing 26 yards to surpass the 2,898 yards Michael Jenkins amassed in 38 games from 2001-03. Smith has 2,958 yards in 32 games.
Kent State (1-2) was outgained 527-134 — 382-63 through the air and 145-71 on the ground. Sean Leonard kicked a 30-yard field goal with 1:56 left in regulation for the final score of the game.
No. 8 Ole Miss 32, No. 7 LSU 24
Trinidad Chambliss passed for two touchdowns and ran for a tiebreaking score in the fourth quarter as the Rebels held off the Tigers in Oxford, Miss.
Chambliss completed 33 of 48 passes for 363 yards and had one interception. Ole Miss (3-0, 1-0 SEC) squandered a 17-point halftime lead before regaining control to defeat former Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin. Traylor Ray caught seven passes for 115 yards and a score.
Sam Leavitt passed for 158 yards with a touchdown and an interception for LSU (2-1, 0-1). He also rushed for a TD, and Dilin Jones had 23 carries for 106 yards and a score. The Tigers drove to the Ole Miss 6, but on fourth and goal, Leavitt was intercepted by Jaylon Braxton with 58 seconds left in the game.
No. 10 Alabama 50, Florida State 36
Keelon Russell threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score as the Crimson Tide overcame a pair of lightning delays and a slow start to rally past the Seminoles in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Russell completed 23 of 30 passes for 320 yards and added 56 yards on three carries. Lotzeir Brooks had eight catches for a career-high 101 yards for the Crimson Tide (3-0), who averaged 8.6 yards per play and scored nine straight times they touched the ball.
Florida State (1-2) got a productive performance from quarterback Ashton Daniels, who threw for 377 yards and two scores while also tallying two rushing touchdowns. However, he was intercepted three times. Duce Robinson had six catches for 135 yards and a touchdown while Ousmane Kromah had 17 carries for 80 yards.
No. 11 BYU 41, Colorado State 23
LJ Martin rushed for 176 yards and three touchdowns, and Bear Bachmeier completed 12 of 16 passes for 227 yards and an interception as the Cougars downed the Rams in Fort Collins, Colo.
Freshman wide receiver Legend Glasker caught five passes for 131 yards and also rushed for a touchdown, and Preston Rex had a rushing score for BYU (3-0). The Cougars racked up a 559-302 advantage in total yards.
Colorado State quarterback Hauss Hejny connected on 6 of 10 passing attempts for 80 yards and a touchdown but left the game in the first quarter with a hamstring injury. Backup quarterback K’saan Farrar threw for 70 yards and an interception. No. 3 quarterback Darius Curry passed for 70 yards and a touchdown for the Rams (2-1).
No. 12 USC 42, Rutgers 35
Jayden Maiava threw for 277 yards and two touchdowns to help lift the Trojans to a Big Ten win over the Scarlet Knights in Piscataway, N.J.
USC outgained Rutgers 461-460 in the game, including 184-168 on the ground. King Miller ran for 102 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.
Antwan Raymond led Rutgers with 122 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries, including a 49-yard carry to set up Clay Thevenin’s touchdown. Rutgers (0-3, 0-1) outgained USC 289-209 in the second half, but never took the lead. Turnovers were costly for the Scarlet Knights.
No. 14 Penn State 55, Buffalo 13
Koby Howard and James Peoples each scored two touchdowns as the Nittany Lions rolled over the Bulls in University Park, Penn.
Rocco Becht threw for 212 yards and two touchdowns for the Nittany Lions (3-0), who outgained the Bulls 573-173. Penn State went just 2-for-10 on third downs, but Buffalo was even worse at 1-for-15.
The Bulls (1-2) didn’t score a touchdown until the fourth quarter, when James McNeil Jr. (20 carries for 80 yards) plunged into the end zone. Jason Wright went 10-for-25 for only 60 yards for Buffalo.
No. 15 Tennessee 42, Kennesaw State 9
Daune Morris rushed for a career-high 116 yards and scored one touchdown to help the Volunteers clobber the Owls at Knoxville, Tenn.
Faizon Brandon completed 18 of 26 passes for 178 yards and one touchdown for Tennessee (3-0). Brandon also rushed for 47 yards and one score. DeSean Bishop and Hunter Barnes also rushed for scores and Braylon Staley had a TD reception for the Vols, who had 268 rushing yards and outgained Kennesaw State 446-291.
Daniel Kinney kicked three field goals for the Owls (1-2). Rickie Collins was 22-of-34 passing for 189 yards and Zion Booker had 10 catches for 78 yards.
No. 17 Utah 33, Utah State 0
Devon Dampier threw for 253 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Utes to a shutout of the Aggies in Salt Lake City.
Braden Pegan had a season-high 122 yards and two touchdowns on a season-high eight catches for Utah (3-0). Daniel Bray added 82 yards and another touchdown on three carries as the Utes rolled up 480 total yards.
Nothing went right for Utah State (0-3) on either side of the ball. The Aggies gained only 10 first downs on the day to 23 for their opponent. Grady Brosterhous threw for 130 yards and had an interception. The Aggies tallied only 58 yards on the ground.
No. 18 Iowa 55, Northern Iowa 0
Xavier Williams rushed for career highs of 151 yards and three touchdowns on just six carries to help the Hawkeyes steamroll the visiting Panthers at Iowa City, Iowa.
Braeden Jackson also had a career day with 125 yards on 11 carries to go with two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving). Nathan McNeil added career bests of 111 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 12 attempts for the Hawkeyes (3-0). Hank Brown made his third straight start for the Hawkeyes and completed all 12 of his passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns.
Jaxon Dailey was 11-of-27 passing for 91 yards and two interceptions for Northern Iowa (1-2). The Panthers were 3-of-15 on third-down conversions.
No. 19 Michigan 52, UTEP 17
Bryce Underwood passed for 223 yards and two touchdowns and the Wolverines scored four third-quarter touchdowns to roll past the Miners at Ann Arbor, Mich.
Savion Hiter rushed for 62 yards and two scores on 11 carries, while Jordan Marshall had 59 yards and one touchdown on 12 carries. Andrew Marsh caught 10 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown, while JJ Buchanan had seven receptions for 92 yards and a score for Michigan (3-0).
The Miners’ EJ Colson Jr. passed for two touchdowns but also had an interception returned for a touchdown. UTEP (1-2) cashed in on a pair of Wolverines turnovers in the first half as Michigan headed to the locker room clinging to a 17-14 lead.
No. 20 Missouri 27, Troy 17
Jamal Roberts rushed for 122 yards and a touchdown, and DaMarion Fowlkes scored on a 68-yard punt return to lead the Tigers to a victory against the visiting Trojans Columbia, Mo.
Missouri (3-0) forced a pair of Troy turnovers and converted them into touchdowns in a 24-point second quarter, and the Tigers pitched a shutout on defense in the second half.
Troy (2-1) scored the first 10 points of the game, kept Missouri off the scoreboard in the first quarter, and trailed by only a touchdown early in the fourth. Goose Crowder threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns, including a 76-yard score to TK Keyes on the second play of the Trojans’ opening possession.
No. 23 Louisville 41, No. 16 SMU 31
Keyjuan Brown rushed for 163 yards with two touchdowns, Isaac Brown had a crucial rushing score late and the Cardinals opened Atlantic Coast Conference play with home win over the a 41-31 home victory over the Mustangs.
Keyjuan Brown went back and forth with SMU running back Kendrick Raphael, who had a career day with 197 yards on 24 attempts and three touchdowns. Lincoln Kienholz completed 14 of 23 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 42 yards on 12 carries and a score for Louisville (2-1, 1-0 ACC). Kaleb Beasley recorded two interceptions, the second to seal the game with 1:31 left.
Kevin Jennings was 24 of 35 for 222 yards and a touchdown, but he threw those two interceptions as SMU (2-1, 1-1) lost the turnover battle 3-0.
No. 24 Oklahoma 14, New Mexico 6
John Mateer threw for 238 yards and two touchdowns as the Sooners avoided an upset with a win over the Lobos in Norman, Okla.
The Sooners led 7-6 at the half, but stretched the lead on Isaiah Sategna’s 53-yard touchdown catch midway through the third quarter, then the defense held off the Lobos. Oklahoma (2-1) outgained New Mexico (2-1) 299-185. Neither team could run effectively, combining for 130 yards.
A trio of New Mexico quarterbacks combined to go for 8 of 19 for 116 yards. Cade Keith led the Lobos with five catches for 78 yards. Only two other players caught passes for New Mexico.
West Virginia 38, No. 25 Virginia 27
Michael Hawkins Jr. ran for three touchdowns and threw two touchdown passes to fuel the Mountaineers’ upset of the Cavaliers in the Duke’s Mayo Classic in Charlotte, N.C.
Hawkins completed 10 of 17 passes for 190 yards and rushed 18 times for a career-high 123 yards. DJ Epps had three receptions for 92 yards and two TDs, and Cam Cook added 123 yards on 30 carries as the Mountaineers improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2018.
Jekail Middlebrook rushed for 75 yards and scored rushing and receiving TDs for the Cavaliers (2-1), who led 14-7 after the first quarter. Beau Pribula completed 21 of 33 passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns.
(–Field Level Media)
